Lasting-pinchers



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HosnA r. ALDRICH, OF BOSTON, MASSAOHUSETTS.

LASTlNG-PINCHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 322,338, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed October 27, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOSEA P. ALDRICH, of Boston, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasting-Pinchers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to pinchers such as employed by boot and shoe makers in lasting, for drawing the upper tightly over thelast and inner sole tacked thereon, and has for its object to facilitate the operation and enable the edge of the upper to be laid more evenly upon the inner sole than is usually effected. In lasting boots and shoes the edge of the upper drawn over upon the inner sole is too full to lie evenly on the bottom of the last, and has to be plaited or notched or slit,so that one portion will overlie another. This is sometimes provided for by slitting the edge of the upper by a knife before lasting or during the process of lasting.

My invention consists in providing the usual pinchers, by which the edge of the upper is grasped and drawn over the inner sole, with a cutter, which may be operated by the hand holding the pinchers, to slit the leather held by the pinchers at the proper point to enable it to be laid evenly upon the upper. As shown in one instance of my invention,the cutter has a sliding movement in a suitable guide in the pinchers, its edge having the proper relation to the jaws of the pinchers to pass through the leather held thereby with an effective drawing out.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of lasting pinchers provided with a cutting device embodying this invention, the last, inner sole, and upper being shown in section; Fig. 2, a plan View of the pinchers, and Fig. 3 a modification showing the cutter pivoted upon the pinchers. V

The pinchers consist, essentially, of two members, a Z), pivoted together at c, and provided with curved serrated jaws d e, which firmly grip the leather when the handle portions of the members are pressed together by the grasp of the hand of the operator. The

lower jaw, e, is provided with a projection or fulcrum-piece, j, which bears upon the-inner edge of the upper, in order that the portion at one side of the cut may overlap the portion at the other side, and thus take up the fullness of the edge of the upper, which would otherwise prevent it from lying evenly on the inner sole, the pinchers are provided with a cutting device, 9 (shown in Figs. 1 and. 2) as having a sliding movement in a groove or recess in the. side of the pinchers, the said outter being acted upon by a retracting-spring, h, by which it is normally held with its outting-edge wholly back of the face of the jaw c, as shown in full lines, Fig. 1. ting device is provided with a projection, 12, in proper position with relation to the handle portion of the pinchers to be easily engaged by the thumb of the hand holding the said pinchers, so that the said cutting device may be forced forward through the leather while held by the jaws, its cutting-edge being of the jaws while holding the leather, as shown, so that it acts on the leather with an effective drawing out. This operation of cutting the leather may be performed while in the act of drawing the leather over the upper The said cutpreferably inclined with relation to the faces.

by the pinchers, and consequently without the expenditure of time that is usually required for slitting the leather when done at a separate operation, as heretofore practiced.

The pinchers are, preferably, also provided with a cutter, k, fixed upon one of the members, so that it may be used to cut the leather at the places not exactly adjacent to the part that is to be held by the jaws, if required, such cuttingoperation beingeffectedwithoutthelaying down of the pinchers and taking up of another tool, and then resuming the pinchers, which would ordinarily occur and involve a loss of time.

In Fig. 3 I have shown ainodification of my invention wherein the blade 9 is pivoted, whereas in Figs. 1 and 2 the blade shown is adapted to slide. I do not desire to limit my 3. The lasting-pinchers having handles to be grasped by the hand and jaws to grip the edge of a boot or shoe upper, combined with the cutting device, substantially as described, the out being made close to the jaws of the connected with the said pinchers and adapted pinehers. to be operated by the hand grasping them, the

I elaimedge of the said cutting device being inclined 1. The combination of the jaws of a pair of l with relation to the jaws, whereby it acts on pinchers to grasp and hold leather,withacutthe material held by them with a drawing ting device mounted thereon and having an out, substantially as described.

invention to the exact form of blade described, as the same may be modified,and yet be adapted to cut or slit the edge of the material while held clamped between the jaws of pinchers,

independent movement with relation to thel 4. The lasting-pinchers combined with ajaws, to cut the material while held by the cutting device,'substantia1ly as described, and jaws, substantially as described. retractingspring therefor, whereby it is nor- 2. The pivoted members, 6 a and d b, 0011- l mally held retracted from the space between stituting the jaws and handles of a pair of the jaws, substantially as described. pinchers, combined with a cutting device, In testimony whereof I have signed my name having its cutting-edge arranged to act on the 1 to this specification in the presence of two submaterial while held by the jaws, and a handle scribing witnesses. portion adapted to be engaged and operated HOSEA P. ALDRICH.

by a portion of the hand of the operator grasp- \Vitnesses: ing the handles of the piuchers, substantially 1 W. H. SIGSTON, as described. B. J. NOYES. 

